If I comply with the NOMs, do I already meet ISO 45001?

Not entirely. You meet a good part of the controls and legal compliance, but the management elements are missing: context, leadership, objectives, consultation and participation, internal audit, management review and improvement.

Is NOM-035 part of ISO 45001?

Psychosocial risk factors are hazards ISO 45001 asks you to identify and control, and NOM-035 is the Mexican legal requirement on them. They are integrated into hazard identification and the legal register.

Does ISO 45001 help in an STPS inspection?

It helps keep evidence organized and up to date, but it does not replace compliance: the inspector verifies the NOMs, not the certificate.

ISO 45001 and the Mexican STPS NOM standards: how they fit together

ISO 45001 is voluntary; the NOM standards issued by the Mexican labor ministry (STPS) are mandatory. Many plants run them separately —one binder for the auditor and another for the inspector— and do the work twice. In reality they fit piece by piece: the international standard brings the management system and the NOMs bring much of the technical and legal content.

Published September 21, 2026 · Geedle Team

Safety manager showing on a laptop how ISO 45001 and the Mexican STPS NOM standards connect

Does ISO 45001 replace the Mexican NOM standards?

No. ISO 45001:2018 is a voluntary standard for occupational health and safety management systems; the STPS NOM standards are legal obligations in Mexico. ISO 45001 requires identifying applicable legal requirements and evaluating compliance (clauses 6.1.3 and 9.1.2), so the NOMs enter the system as requirements to be met. A plant that complies well with the NOMs has half the system built; a plant with ISO 45001 has the method to sustain that compliance.

Mapping the NOMs to ISO 45001 clauses

NOM	What it asks for	ISO 45001 clause	Shared evidence
NOM-030-STPS-2009	OH&S diagnosis and program, person responsible for preventive services	6.1 Risks and opportunities, 6.2 Objectives, 5.3 Roles	Diagnosis, annual program and appointment
NOM-019-STPS-2011	Safety and hygiene commission, inspections and minutes	5.4 Consultation and participation, 9.1 Monitoring	Inspection minutes and follow-up of agreements
NOM-035-STPS-2018	Identify and prevent psychosocial risk factors	6.1.2 Hazard identification	Assessments, policy and prevention measures
NOM-017-STPS-2008	Selection, use and handling of personal protective equipment	8.1.2 Hierarchy of controls	Job risk analysis and PPE issue records
NOM-002-STPS-2010	Fire prevention and protection	8.2 Emergency preparedness and response	Response plan, brigades and drills
NOM-018-STPS-2015	Hazard communication for chemicals	7.4 Communication, 8.1 Operational control	Safety data sheets and labelling

For orientation only: always check the current version of each NOM in the Mexican Official Gazette and those that apply to your specific processes.

What ISO 45001 adds to what the STPS already requires

Context and top management. Management is accountable for safety performance; it stops being the exclusive concern of the safety department.
Real consultation and participation. The NOM-019 commission is a good starting point, but ISO 45001 asks to consult non-managerial workers on policy, objectives, controls and contractors.
Hierarchy of controls. Eliminate and substitute before resorting to administrative controls or personal protective equipment.
Contractors and procurement. Safety criteria from the purchase order and control of whoever comes to work at your facilities.
Management of change and improvement. Assess risks before changing a process, investigate incidents and close actions with verification of effectiveness.

One piece of evidence for the auditor and the inspector

The trick lies in the legal requirements register: each NOM is linked to the activity that triggers it, the ISO 45001 clause behind it, the owner and the evidence. That way the commission inspection minutes serve NOM-019 and clause 5.4; the NOM-035 assessment feeds hazard identification; and DC-3 training certificates prove both mandatory training and the competence required by clause 7.2.

The economic argument: the IMSS risk premium

The occupational risk insurance premium paid to the Mexican social security institute (IMSS) is determined every year based on the accident record of the company. Fewer accidents and fewer days of disability mean, over time, a lower premium. A management system that reduces incidents does not only protect people: it has a direct effect on payroll cost, and it is an argument management understands at once.

Where to start

If you already comply with the NOMs, start with a gap analysis against ISO 45001. If you are not sure what applies to you, with the legal requirements register. And if the goal is the certificate, see our ISO 45001 consulting and ISO 45001 internal audit, with local service in Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico City, León and more cities.